This Life We Lead
by AlwaysPadfoot
Summary: Sirius takes refuge in the Library and whilst hiding from Slytherins he finds his cousin Andromeda studying. They have a chat about why they do what they do. Written as a One-Shot for The Taragh Word Limit Competition. Rated K.


**- This Life We Lead -**

**- aimz666 -**

**Competition**: The Taragh Word Limit Competition

**Prompt**: Doing What We Do  
**Word Limit:** 1000 (+/- 100)

**Word Count**: 1003

**Beta**: N/A

-

"GET BACK HERE BLACK!"

Sirius Black turned his head slightly to identify just who thought he would dumb enough to think he would stop whilst being chased by a troll-like group of Slytherins. A flash of orange scorched past him catching his cheek making him quickly bring his hand to his face and make an immediate turn down the next available corridor.

Thirty seconds later Sirius burst into the Library, they never would have suspected that he had come in here and besides the Librarian would go mad if half of Slytherin burst in with their wands out. Okay, so that was an exaggeration but there were at least five of them. He slowed down a little when Madam Prince caught sight of him, shifting his bag slightly before hunting for a quiet place at the back of the library out of sight.

Sirius couldn't wait till James was out of the Hospital Wing, he had caught the Wizard Flu three days ago and still wasn't better. Unable to leave the care of the nurse, Sirius would have to wait until James was out before they'd be able to plot revenge for the burn that now decorated Sirius' cheek. Remus was visiting his mother, again, and Peter was back in the common room so Sirius had had no back up when he was ambushed in the dungeons after serving detention with Slughorn.

Sirius didn't understand why Remus spent so much time here; it was dark and smelt weird. The bookshelves seemed to go forever upwards and briefly he wondered how students even got books down from up there before realising that A, there was a ladder and B, that they could just use magic.

"Siri?" He spun around to see Andromeda looking up from the very back table in the corner between the stacks of books.

"Andy," he smiled, taking a few quick glances around before heading over to his Slytherin cousin, "You're not hiding too are you?" Sirius grinned weakly before taking the seat next to her. She ignored him and frowned at the burn on his face.

"I wondered why you were in the library - come here," Andy said, taking out her wand and healing the burn on his face, "What happened Siri?"

"The usual Slytherin versus Gryffindor banter, I'm a blood traitor, they're half-snob half-troll, it's just a horrendous mix" Sirius sighed, running his finger across the newly healed skin.

"You really are a Gryffindor, aren't you?" Andy smirked at her first year cousin who returned a cheeky smile.

"And always will be, Andy," he grinned, "I heard you've started dating a Muggleborn that's pretty Gryffindor of you."

"We've been dating for a year actually," Andy said, looking back down at the work she was doing and adding a few extra words to her Ancient Runes, "You helped me make the decision to make our relationship public."

"Me?" Sirius gave her his best confused look, "How?"

Andromeda looked up at him, her eyes still on the slightly pink skin of his cheek and sighed. The last few months had been hell, dealing with the cold shoulder from half of her house and one or two horrifying howlers from her family. She hadn't made the choice lightly though, she had the full support of her boyfriend, Ravenclaw Ted Tonks, her two best friends, Slytherin's Liam Greengrass and Ravenclaw's Kendra McDougal, and the occasional words of wisdom of her Gryffindor cousin, Sirius Black.

"It's not easy doing what we do Sirius," she told the black haired boy, "It's not easy, this life we lead, so why do we do it–?"

"Because it's right," Sirius answered bluntly, "Because everybody should be equal Muggleborn or Pureblood, everyone should be who they want to be."

Andromeda shook her head with a smile, "You may not know this Siri but you helped me be who I wanted to be," she told him, "From the moment you were sorted into the Gryffindor I stopped being Perfect Pureblood Andromeda Black and started to be just Andy."

Sirius' grey eyes widened substantially as she spoke, he stared at his cousin hardly believing that she was telling him that he had been the reason for her being her own person. Andy had always been his favourite cousin, she'd taught him about equality, she'd taught him he could be his own person, she'd taught him there was more to life than just being a Black. How could it be the other way around?

"You were always Andy, you helped me become me," Sirius said, "You've always been fair and friendly to everyone; you've always taught me what's right and what's wrong." He ran a hand through his hair, "Hell, if it hadn't been for you I'd still be calling Muggleborns the other word." Andromeda had taught Sirius not to view the world through Black –Tinted Glasses and she had been one of the only parts of Sirius' childhood he truly enjoyed remembering.

"But it's only this year that everyone has seen that," Andy retorted, "It's only this year that I have chosen to voice my actual opinions and be my true self ."

"Then I'm proud of you Andy, we're both now doing what we want to do and being who we want to be," Sirius smiled, "I'd call you a liar if you didn't agree that that is the best feeling in the whole world."

"Aren't I the one who is supposed to be proud of you?" Andy teased him lightly with one eyebrow raised incredulously as if scrutinising her younger cousin not unlike how Professor McGonagall would if she suspected someone was up to no good. Sirius barely held back a laugh at his cousin's expression before he spoke again.

"No, this was all you Andy," he said, "Thank you, for being the best cousin ever, without you I wouldn't be the bane of my parents existence" Sirius winked at her before disappearing, leaving his cousin to roll her eyes and continue with her Ancient Runes work.


End file.
